Re: Focus....

I took a week break from social media to re focus on my jewelry design. I can't say it was easy, breezy. Sometimes the only social interaction I get in these snowy, winter months is from Facebook and Twitter. The time away paid off. I found myself trying new designs that I'd had floating around in my head but had been to distracted to attempt, like these soldered cuffs:

I also took some time to look back through past designs to see what really worked and was inspired by what was there. Sometimes what you were looking for was in your backyard the whole time Dorothy:

I also completely updated my website with all new pieces, you can see them here:

http://karynshonkdesigns.bigcartel.com/

Making It Count!

Can we just skip the part where I say I haven't posted in a while? 2013 was busy!!!

 In the span of the year we were lucky enough to travel to Hawaii, Mexico and Costa Rica with some small family trips to the Outer Banks and Michigan thrown in. Icing on the travel cake was that two of the trips were made with a big groups of friends that I've known forever and treasure more than words, and the absolute joy of making some  amazingly special new friends. Added to that were my Country Living Shows in Rhinebeck, NY (where I camped in a tent for the first and last time) and Columbus, Ohio (which rocked as it always does) and traveling to Jackson, MS with Sweet Tea Clothing Company to help out at the Junior League show where I got to meet the coolest marine on the face of the earth in the form of my friend Crystal's little brother Will.

I added a few new shows this year in Virginia Beach which turned out to be well worth the drive and was lucky enough to spend all my time there with my best friend Christina and her family. I will be looking for more shows out that way this year! (any suggestions are welcome:)

The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which I lucked into last year, has been doing really well with KShonk Designs and I am so lucky to be selling there and getting to see their fun and fabulous buyer every time I go as well as their staff who always greet me so warmly. I am also looking forward to working with some new shops this year.

So what's in store for the New Year?

The New Year for me is going to be all about taking it to the next level. Exploring and stretching as KShonk Designs and personally figuring out what makes me happy within myself and within my work and life. At the end of it all we only get a limited time on this earth and I want to make it count. I am thankful for the absolute luxury of time and the stability of home for that opportunity.

A HUGE thank you to everyone that bought a piece of jewelry, came out to the shows and showed your support for my little dream. I love every one of you and could not do this without you!

Here's to making it count!!!

Magazine!

I am getting dangerously close to  a "Time to update your blog" email from my dad! So much has happened in the last 2 weeks. I have battled a cold and gotten lots of work done. There is also the not so small matter of my first national magazine coverage!!! Way to bury the lead right? I will be posting pictures this week. I have lots of custom orders to work on this week and a BUNCH of shows and stores to fill. April is going to be INSANE!!! Look for my magazine post later today.

Encouragement...It's Free!

When I was a little girl I liked to draw. I wasn't Van Gogh but I was good enough that the kids in my class wanted my drawings. Being entrepreneurial at a young age, I charged about a nickel a picture. I remember feeling such a sense of pride. These weren't adults indulging a little kid, these were other kids like me that wanted to pay hard earned money for something I had created. And then the teacher found out. She made me give back all the money, let the kids keep the pictures and told me I wasn't good enough to charge money for what I did.

Maybe I shouldn't have been selling the drawings in class, but I was 5 what did I know?


Luckily she was the exception and not the rule. Once I figured out that jewelry design was what I wanted to do I was blessed to have people encourage me and help me along the way. From my parents and step parents to Elizabeth Spahr of Wagoner's Jewelers who gave me the my first paid internship when I was just a  30 year old with a dream. Not to mention all the fabulous people who have paid good money for my designs for the past ten years or so.


Now I make a living doing what I love to do which is an amazing gift that I am thankful for every single day! Imagine what would've happened if I had been encouraged at 5!

Pinsperation!

My morning ritual consists of coffee, breakfast bar and Pinterest. I love looking at all the pretty pictures and this morning I was going through my Inspiration board and thought I'd share a a few of my favorites.

Breathtaking! Vintage paris 1800's

Obviously blues and greens and seaglass! 

This picture makes when want to pillage my stash for deep reds and turquoise immediately! Don't be too surprised if there is a picture up tomorrow inspired by this picture!

Ring by Armenta. I love the mix of metals and the medieval vibe.

Victorian hair jewelry was meant to keep your loved one in your memory. There are some amazing examples of this practice. Love the little key and lock.

Ugh. The absolute beauty of the deep blues and greens with the touch of weather wood.

Thank you Ryan. I appreciate you appreciating me;)

Feel free to follow me on Pinterest:http://pinterest.com/kshonkdesigns/

Earrings Without Partners Support Group

You pull off your sweater, take off your scarf or come home from vacation one earring shy of a pair. It's happened to me more times than I can count. If you are lucky you find it hiding under your bed or still stuck to the scarf. If you are not, you call me. (if I made it that is;)

If I have the components to make a  new one I am more than happy to do so, however, I spend a lot of time finding beads, trinkets and baubles to use in creating small batches of  unique jewelry and a lot of the times when I run out of the goods I can't replicate the exact earring that is missing. (especially if a couple of years has passed)  Sometimes we can put the remaining earring on a chain and make a necklace. Sometimes I have to make a brand new pair. I am happy to help with either outcome!

In an effort to avoid the lost earring sads these little goodies are your best friends:


Clear, plastic earring backs. There are you first defense in keeping you earrings together. Here are a few links to where you can find them:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/79604470/50-earnut-safety-sleeves-clear?utm_source=googleproduct&utm_medium=syndication&utm_campaign=GPS&gclid=CLWluPSwgbUCFU-d4AodAQcAFg

http://compare.ebay.com/like/200652283955?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar

Thanks for your reading and fight the good fight! Let's keep our earrings together!

A Sunday Surprise!

I was a little under the weather this weekend and sadly had to reschedule my Sunday studio appointments and dinner with my mom in law. To my surprise (and delight) my friend Karen did not receive my message and showed up on my doorstep excited to get her leather cuff bracelet. She got me with messy bed head and full of cold medicine but it was such a nice break in the day. Here she is modeling the leather cuff AND a pair of bullet casing earrings she had to have:

She wears them well and looks very angelic doing so!

Karen's bracelet

This multi layered necklace was inspired by the view from a restaurant in Honolulu. I was trying to capture the fire and ocean. I had just finished it and had time to snap this picture before another customer popped in and snatched it up! I know I should be resting but there is so much more I want to make!

Rainy Days And Mondays (Plus Leather Cuffs!)

All this rain has made it hard to get working but I seem to have managed to churn out some new cuffs. It's easy to find inspiration from a table full of vintage finds (there is only so much napping I can do!) Behold! A new batch of recycled leather cuff bracelets with hand soldered plates and vintage pieces. Like KShonk Designs on Facebook for more images.

Loving the emerald green and gold on this one!

More to follow tomorrow. I am going to get a cup of cocoa  and enjoy the snow!

Blue (and green!) Hawaii.....

I can't imagine a better day for a post about Hawaii! Eric and I were lucky enough to spend time in Hawaii over New Year's. I realized going in it was going to be an amazing adventure but what I didn't realize is all the inspiration and buying I would be able to do. While taking a helicopter ride over Oahu I snapped some pics:

I took about 20 pictures of this basin. I am so in love with the mixes of vibrant shades of aqua, navy and turquoise against the earthy green.

I have no idea what this is but I only saw one hanging from a tree while hiking Waimea Falls.

The scalloped edge of this vintage rhinestone necklace reminds me of the sun sparkling on the waves.

The greenish blue turquoise and heavenly green pearls were bought at a bead shop in Maui. It was this little place tucked in behind a bunch of other shops and it was a gold mine!

I am always hunting for this shade of recycled glass beads and found a couple of strands in a shop on the North Shore.

The greens were outrageous! You will be seeing them in my work come springtime!

Happy New Year (with rhinestones)!

After being on the road for almost 3 weeks I am finally at home, cuddled up on the couch with the poodle and a cup of coffee. We were lucky enough to spend Christmas with my mom in Phoenix, AZ which means we also hit up one of my favorite places to find rhinestone goodies The Brass Armadillo!

This place is just freaking huge and chock full of cases and cases of treasures. I went once with my mom and went back with Eric and found a TON of sparkling goodies.

Oodles of Rhinestone Goodness!

Eric was pretty indulgent but drew the line at one of the huge, sparkly crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

This happy fellow greets you out front!

All that happy rhinestone buying was just in Arizona! Hawaii is a WHOLE different story....coming up! Happy New Year from my thrift hunting side kick  and I!

I Fell For a Handsome Thrifter......

When I married I hoped for a man that was kind, had a great sense of humor and was easy on the eyes. I had no idea I would find that and so much more, he's a thrifter! There is not much he loves more than "bundling". Lest any of you take that as a dirty euphemism, bundling is when you (he) hunts down a bunch of thrift store finds and "bundles" them to get a better price. (See: American Pickers) Over the years he has developed a fantastic eye for the vintage pearl and rhinestone bits and pieces I like to use in my work. Not only does he enjoy hunting with me...he now goes alone! A lot of the newer pieces you see can be credited in part to his eagle eye and scouting expeditions. He will come back with a flush in his cheek, a twinkle in his eye and a plastic baggy full of sparkles and pearls. He rocks and he is pretty darn handsome!

Shaken...not stirred...

Manly enough to hold a small white poodle with a pink bow...and like it!

Keep 'em coming handsome!

I Am In Love....

I know it's probably wrong to pick just one necklace that I love the most and like a fickle teenager I fall in love at least once a week, but this week is different. This is the one..

An vintage rhinestone necklace surrounded by sparkling sea blue chalcedony, faceted green jaded, faceted pink tourmaline and creamy vintage pearls....

...what's not to love?

This is a close runner up for this week's affections. A stunner of a rhinestone vintage necklace, a ton of sparkling blue iolite, green jade and faceted pink tourmaline....

...the centerfold shot;)

Here comes the sun! A recycled leather cuff bracelet, etched and riveted brass plate and vintage brooch surrounded by vintage rhinestones.

Like all passionate loves this may not last. Someone will snap it up and will fall in love with it just like I did. But alas, my bench is filled with sparkly pieces vying for my attention and I am sure I'll fall in love again!

NO, NO, NO!!!! Merry Christmas!

If you are a people pleaser like I am, you find it very hard to tell anyone no. In the moment you are asked you really, really want to do whatever it is that's being asked. It comes from a good place and you forget all the other things you agreed to that you really, really wanted to do. Slowly all the yes's start to pile up until you are having a mental come apart complete with shaking, crying and 5 year old like temper tantrums. Wait...is that just me?

This week has been a series of realizing my limitations and has led me to say no to things which I previously committed to. It sucked. I hated doing it but hated the stress it was creating within myself even more.  Today I woke up for the first time in a month feeling rested and positive and capable of accomplishing everything on my list as well as taking some time for myself. If you say yes to everything than nothing gets done well. Now here is a pretty Christmas picture and have a great day!http://pinterest.com/pin/75716837456377277/

Black Friday Sale!! Whoo hoo!!!

I am having my first ever Black Friday Sale on Etsy starting at 12am Friday the 23rd until midnight that night. I am posting a bunch of goodies over at my Etsy shop (they will go up at 12am) and after you pick out your what you'd like and go to checkout type in TURKEYDAY and you'll receive 20% off!!! Here are some of the pieces that will be up for sale:

You can also see more pieces on my Facebook page...click here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kshonk-Designs/74800926030

St. Bridget's Girl's Night Out!!! Tonight!

This is one of my favorite events to participate in and it's tonight! Below is just a few of the pieces I will be bringing along.

Come and get your KShonk for the holidays!!!

Suspiciously Calm

Country Living Atlanta is fast approaching and I am suspiciously calm. Everyday I wire and buy supplies and solder and wire some more and am pretty satisfied with the growing number of pretties on my studio table.

Upcycled vintage rhinestones necklaces and vintage rosary necklaces with soldered nut pendants(laying down)

After a trip to a local thrift store Saturday I have been working on making beautiful mixed rhinestone pieces with fresh water pearls and recycled seafoam blue seaglass. After declaring the newest pieces my absolute favorite EVER... I make another and fall in love all over again. That's the delight in jewelry design, instant gratification. I am always amazed when I find a piece that I don't really think was going to turn into anything special and it becomes THE piece I love the most!

I was not in love with the blue/purple/green combination of this vintage brooch until I added denim blue freshwater pearls. It lays so perfectly on the neck!

One of my Story bracelets. Made from hand formed ancient bronze, each bracelet has different bits of vintage pieces and hand wired crystals etc.

Enough of the chit chat....back to the studio!